Wire-stretcher.



PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

E. W. REIUHERTQ WIRE STRETGHER.

APBLIUATION FILED FBB.5.1907.

INVENTOR FERDINANDW-REIEHEHT ATTORNEYS I m: NORRIS Psrzns C0,, wuummu, n. c.

FERDINAND WILLIAM REICHERT, OF GRANTON, WISCONSIN.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 14, 1907.

Application filed February 5, 1907. Serial No. 355,810.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be' it known that I, FERDINAND WILLIAM REIOHERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Granton, in the county of Clark and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in VVire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire-stretchers, suitable for stretching fence, telegraph and similar wires and for holding the same while they are being fastened to posts, spliced or otherwise fastened.

The invention contemplates an improved utilization of the screw for the purpose of applying the necessary power to the desired purpose, the construction having the advantage that it possesses great power, will not slip, and can be reversed so that it can be used from either side, and accordingly the screw does not have to be turned back every time it is used, but the stretcher can be simply turned over for the next operation, the wire being attached to the opposite end of the screw, which can then be operated in the reverse direction. These and other advantages will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is a side or edge view, the screw being shown in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring specificallyto the drawings, the frame of the implement, which is preferably made of cast iron, although it may be made of wood or other material, comprises side bars 6 connected at the rear end to a handle 8 and having at the other end an eye 8 sufficiently large for the chain 9 to slip through. This chain has at each end a ring 10, too large to pass through said eye. The side bars 6 have hooks 11 presented in opposite directions and adapted to engage the ring at one end of the chain. The side bars also have boxes 12 through which extends the screw 13 which is prevented from turning by means of a key 14 projecting in each box into a long groove or keyway 15 in the screw. The screw therefore, will slide lengthwise in the boxes but will not turn. At each end the screw has a hole 16 whereby a wire grip 27 may be attached. The grip is preferably a cam grip having a snap hook, but other forms of grips may be used if desired.

Mounted upon the screw, between the boxes 12, is a bur and sprocket wheel, the bur being indicated at 17 and the sprocket wheel. thereon at 18. When the bur is turned the screw is moved accordingly The sprocket wheel is connected bya chain belt 19 to a larger sprocket 20 set between the side bars 6 on a cross shaft 21 squared at both ends to receive one or two crank handles 22 whereby the shaft is turned.

In operation, to draw a wire to a pole or post, the chain 9 is passed around the post, one end being held by the ring 10 at the eye 8* and the other by the hook 11. The wire is then fixed in the grip and by turning the crank 22 the screw is caused to travel toward the post and stretch the wire. The screw will hold without being fastened, leaving both hands of the operator free to staple the wire. One man can thus work it. For the next stretch, it is not necessary to back the screw, as the stretcher can be reversed by unhooking the chain and drawing it through the eye 8 to the other side and attaching the free end to the other hook, and then turning the frame over to draw the screw back in the opposite direction for the next wire.

For splicing, a grip similar -to that shown can be attached to the chain and used to hold one end of the wires, and the other end is stretched to meet it, in the manner above described, to be spliced. The implement is so light that a wire of any ordinary strength will suspend it; consequently no other external support is needed. Gearing of other kinds, between the crank and the bur, may be substituted for the chain and sprockets, although it is thought that the latter is preferable because it is not so apt to become clogged with dirt and the like as spur and bevel wheels. The frame may be set at any inclination, consequently either high or low wires can be stretched without varying the height of the crank to any great extent.

I claim 1 1. In a wire stretcher, in combination, a frame, a non-rotatable screw extending across the same and slidable in boxes therein and having a wire grip at the end, a bur on the screw between the boxes, and means to turn the bur.

2. In a wire stretcher, in combination, a frame extending laterally with respect to the line of thewire, a non-rotatable traveling screw extending across the frame and in line 7 with the wire and having means to grip the same, a bur on the screw and held by the frame against endwise movement and means to turn the bur.

3. In a wire stretcher, in combination, a frame, a chain connected thereto, the frame having attaching devices for the chain on both sides thereof, so that the chain may be attached on either side, a member movable across the frame in either direction and having means at opposite ends to connect a wire, and means to so move said member.

4. In a wire stretcher, in combination, a frame having an eye at the end and hooks on both sides, a chain passing loosely through the eye and engageable with either hook and having means at each end to prevent it pulling out of the eye, amember movable across the frame in either direction, between the eye and the hooks, and having means at each end to connect a wire, and means to so move said memher.

5. In a wire stretcher, in combination, a frame having a pair of side bars and a box in each side bar having a key therein, a screw extending across the frame and through the boxes and having a longitudinal keyway receiving the keys to prevent rotation of the sasrsa screw, a bur mounted on the screw between. the boxes, and means to turn the bur, the screw 11 avmg means to connect a wire thereto.

6. In a wire stretcher, in combination, a

frame having a pair of side bars and boxes therein, a screw extending across the frame and slidable lengthwise in the boxes, means to prevent rotation of the screw, a bur on. the screw between the boxes, a crank mounted on the frame, gearing between the crank and the bur, and means to connect a wire to the end of the screw.

7. In a wire stretcher, in. combination, a frame having spaced side bars and boxes therein at one end thereof, a screw extending across said bars and slidable lengthwise in. the boxes, means to prevent rotation of the screw, a bur provided with a sprocket wheel on the screw between the boxes, a crank shal't mounted on the bars at the other end thereof and. provided with a sprocket wheel, and a chain belt between the sproclwt wheels.

W itnesses ROY N. W'nro-n'r, ALVIN B. Rmnnlnn'r. 

